Canberra norovirus cases on the rise as concerns raised over hospital infection control

An elderly couple believe they contracted the highly contagious norovirus — the world's leading cause of gastroenteritis — because infection protocols were breached at the Canberra Hospital.Robert Dew, 74, and his wife Julie, 72, said they were visiting an elderly friend last week who had contracted the virus.

A deadly " superbug " is slowly invading hospitals in the Northeast. The fungus has caused bloodstream, wound and ear infections . The CDC issued a report six months ago saying the fungus had been found in 13 people and was linked to four hospital patient deaths in the U.S.

Fungal Nail Infections Tinea Unguium. Authored by Dr Oliver Starr, 14 May 2018. Patient is a certified member of The Information Standard. In about a further 2 in 10 cases the fungus will be cleared from the nail after treatment but the nail does not look fully normal again.

The man has been infected with a fungus called Candida auris, or C. auris, which is highly resistant to treatment and can cause serious infections in wounds, the bloodstream and ears.

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Victoria’s deputy chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton said it was the first known case of the superbug in the state.

“The Department of Health and Human Services is working very closely with health services and public health laboratories to take a ‘search and destroy’ approach to ensure it does not spread ... or cause an outbreak,” Dr Sutton said.

Handwashing might not kill this superbug. Should we be worried?

Procedures put in place to stop the spread of one superbug in Australian hospitals may have accidentally encouraged the spread of another, a new study suggests. They think the superbug, which can cause blood infections, is spreading because it is growing tolerant to the alcohol-based antibacterial soap used by doctors, nurses and surgeons.“Standard precautions aren’t that effective any more. Cleaning your hands with alcohol is not reliable enough,” says Professor Paul Johnson, deputy director of infectious diseases at Austin Health.

A local patient infected with a " superbug " fungus died from "complex medical issues" several weeks after coming to Rochester General Hospital , according The local patient initially arrived at RGH with symptoms of sepsis, so "right away, doctors knew the patient had some sort of infection ," Brown said.

And Schuchat fears it could spread. The superbug poses a “catastrophic threat” to the public Health officials have warned US clinicians to watch for the fungus in hospitals . Schuchat believes health officials “have to do better with infection control” when it comes to containing superbugs of all kinds.

The man, aged in his 70s, who was at the Melbourne hospital being treated for another condition, is likely to have contracted the bug at a hospital in the UK.

“The man was isolated as soon as the diagnosis was made and intense cleaning and disinfection has occurred," Dr Sutton said.

“Routine screening of other patients on the hospital ward will now take place, although it is unlikely that others have been exposed because the patient was cared for in a single room."

The health department said C. auris was much less common than other types of candida, such as Candida albicans which can cause yeast infections, including vaginal thrush.

However, C. auris can cause problems in hospitals and nursing homes as it can spread from one patient to another or via objects.

Elderly or unwell patients who have been in contact with the fungus can develop severe and potentially fatal infections. However, most healthy people will not become sick and should not be concerned.

Discovered in 2009, C. auris has spread quickly and caused infections in more than a dozen countries.

A Chief Health Officer’s alert has been issued advising health services of the steps clinicians can take if they suspect a patient may be affected.

Girl, woman hurt in Melbourne house fire .
A girl and a woman have suffered from smoke inhalation after a house fire in Melbourne's southeast, with the girl taken to hospital.A primary school-aged girl has been taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after a house fire in Melbourne's southeast.

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A deadly " superbug " is slowly invading hospitals in the Northeast. The fungus has caused bloodstream, wound and ear infections . The CDC issued a report six months ago saying the fungus had been found in 13 people and was linked to four hospital patient deaths in the U.S.

Fungal Nail Infections Tinea Unguium. Authored by Dr Oliver Starr, 14 May 2018. Patient is a certified member of The Information Standard. In about a further 2 in 10 cases the fungus will be cleared from the nail after treatment but the nail does not look fully normal again.

A local patient infected with a " superbug " fungus died from "complex medical issues" several weeks after coming to Rochester General Hospital , according The local patient initially arrived at RGH with symptoms of sepsis, so "right away, doctors knew the patient had some sort of infection ," Brown said.

CDC chief fears a deadly superbug 's spread - www.statnews.com

And Schuchat fears it could spread. The superbug poses a “catastrophic threat” to the public Health officials have warned US clinicians to watch for the fungus in hospitals . Schuchat believes health officials “have to do better with infection control” when it comes to containing superbugs of all kinds.

Fungal ear infection is an infection of the ear with a fungus . Hospital doctors have special ways of getting the ear clean and dry, such as inserting a pack made from ribbon gauze, a wick made of sponge that hangs out of the ear and drains it or suction using a tiny tube (microsuction).

Preventing fungal infections in hospitalized patients . Fungi are difficult to avoid because they are a natural part of the environment. If you have a weakened immune system, you may still be at risk for getting a fungal infection after you leave the hospital .

Doctors say the superbug fungus can be difficult to treat because it’s shown signs of resistance against drugs typically used to treat fungal infections . “What’s also unique about this organism is that it can actually stay on skin surfaces for prolonged periods of time, even months after the initial

13 Cases of ' Superbug ' Fungal Infection in U.S. - www.webmd.com

Four patients died, the CDC said, but whether the fungal infection was the direct cause of the deaths remains unclear. Two patients had been treated in the same hospital or long-term care facility and had nearly identical fungal strains. Superbugs : Fact vs. Fiction. Article.

Neither did segregating infected patients , to keep them from spreading the fungus . The fear is that that’s what U.S. hospitals may be facing if C. auris breaches their infection control defenses. These days the term “ superbug ” is tossed around with the frequency of presidential tweets.

Rochester, N.Y, - A " superbug " fungus is spreading in New York hospitals . In babies, it can be seen as diaper infections or rashes in the mouth. In March, doctors at Rochester General Hospital saw symptoms in one patient and immediately sent the fungus to the CDC for testing.

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